T4 made me put on weight

[Stoddart161073]

I was diagnosed 2 years ago with under active Thyroid and was taking 100mg of Levothyroxine but put on nearly 3 stone, my latest results have given me a prescription of 150mg - this is because I stopped taking the tablets. But now the symptoms are extreme and I need to get it sorted. I’ve been advised to source some T3 and take that also as this will help with the weight? Can people please advise on this and if so how much of each should I take each morning please

[Marz]

Hi and Welcome !

Do you have any results you could share ? TSH- FT4 - FT3 ? Do you have Hashimotos ? How do you take your Levo/T4 ? Increases of 25mcg are the usually suggested - and then testing after 6 weeks. Too early to source T3 - how do you know you need it ?

Vitamins and Minerals need to be OPTIMAL for your thyroid hormones to work well - both your own and the ones you take. B12 - Folate - Ferritin - VitD - all need to be tested.

[Stoddart161073 in reply to Marz]

My last Serum TSH level was 12.49mU/L and Dr suggested increasing Levothyroxine from 100mg to 150g and retest in 8 weeks. That’s the only tests they do apart from FBC and Serum. As for the T3, I don’t know if I need it but doing my homework I e read a lot that the cause of weight gain whilst taking Levothyroxine can be due to T4 not converting to T3 so they only way to make that happen is to also take T3. Ive asked my Gp and he’s not interested at all

[Marz in reply to Stoddart161073]

Yes your homework is good - but the only way you will know if the T4 is converting into T3 is to have the tests done together. I also mentioned how your vitamins and minerals need to be optimal for your hormones to work well - you did not mention which ones had been tested or if you are supplementing.

Have read here often about members adding in T3 and then reporting that it has not worked. On further investigation it is discovered their nutrient levels are dismal. Most of us with thyroid issues have low B12 - Folate - Ferritin - vitD Like most things in life - things work better when good preparation has been carried out ... jumping in the deep end is not always a good thing.

[greygoose in reply to Stoddart161073]

Your doctor is not very knowledgeable about thyroid. Increasing by 50 mcg in one go is too much, and will shock your system. But, your TSH was much too high - should be 1 or under when on thyroid hormone replacement - so not surprising that you're putting on weight.

Before you can tell how well you convert - and if you need T3 - you need to get your TSH down to 1. At the moment, you are simply under-medicated.

However, your TSH is very high for someone on 150 mcg levo. So, how do you take your hormone? Do you take it on an empty stomach and leave at least one hour before eating or drinking anything other than water? Do you take any other supplements or medication at the same time?

[Stoddart161073 in reply to greygoose]

I normally take 100g each morning on empty stomach as prescribed he’s only just increased it to 150g

[greygoose in reply to Stoddart161073]

OK, but you do wait an hour before eating, don't you. Doctors are inclined to say just wait half an hour, but that's not really long enough.

If I were you, I wouldn't go straight from 100 mcg to 150 mcg. It's too big a jump. Could you perhaps take 100 mcg one day and 150 mcg the next?

[Stoddart161073 in reply to greygoose]

I took it this morning and too be honest I’ve felt all fuzzy with a headache all afternoon

[greygoose in reply to Stoddart161073]

You took 150 mcg? Well, that's probably too much for you. Go back to 100 tomorrow, and see if you feel better. If you do, try changing your dose to 125 mcg, on Saturday, by cutting pills. Do you have 100 mcg pills and 50 mcg pills?

[Stoddart161073 in reply to greygoose]

100g

[greygoose in reply to Stoddart161073]

ok, so to get to 125, you need to cut on pill in 1/4s and take 1 and 1/4. See how that goes.

[Peanut31]

Hi

As Marz has already mentioned we need to see your blood results to see what’s going on, it could be you need more Levothyroxine or as you have already mentioned need some T3 adding, but we need to see your results first.

If your GP has tested your TSH, T4 & T3 recently then ask your GP/ receptionist for a copy of your results including ranges.

If you do need T3 good luck with sourcing that through the NHS, you may already be aware that people already on T3 are having it taken off them or having to fight to remain on it.

Best Wishes

Peanut31

[Stoddart161073 in reply to Peanut31]

I’m not sure how to add a picture of my results? The only one you have mentioned which was tested was Serum TSH 12.49 mU/L (0.35 - 5.50) “High”

[Peanut31 in reply to Stoddart161073]

Hi

You can just type them out rather than add a photo.

It appears you have a GP only obsessed with TSH only, you can’t tell how your thyroid is doing only testing TSH.

You need to test TSH & T3 & T4.

You have mentioned your TSH is 12.49, that is too high.

You ideally need your TSH at 1 or below.

You need to be upping your Levothyroxine by 25 mcg every 6-8 weeks, each time you need to test your TSH, T3 & T4 and book your blood draw as early in the morning as possible. Don’t take your Levothyroxine before the blood test. No eating and drink water only.

Your not on the correct dosage yet to find out if you need T3 adding.

Testing your vitamin levels are also important to help support your thyroid.

All the above text can be carried out privately if your GP will not do them.

Medichecks and blue horizon offer private blood testing.

Many are forced to do this, including myself.

Best Wishes

Peanut31

[SlowDragon Administrator]

The most important thing is to take your Levothyroxine everyday

If you had not been taking the 100mcg of Levothyroxine regularly then your TSH was high because of this, perhaps not because you needed dose increase

Increase from 100mcg to 150mcg is too much as well. Dose should only be increased by 25mcgs steps

How long have you been taking 150mcg everyday?

You need FULL Thyroid and vitamin testing after 6-8 weeks on an absolutely CONSTANT dose of Levothyroxine

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested. Also extremely important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if Thyroid antibodies are raised

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and fasting. Do not take Levothyroxine dose in the 24 hours prior to test, delay and take immediately after blood draw. This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)

Is this how you do your tests?

Private tests are available. Thousands on here forced to do this as NHS often refuses to test FT3 or antibodies

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have special offers, Medichecks usually have offers on Thursdays, Blue Horizon its more random

Until you have a steady dose of Levothyroxine bringing TSH down to around one, tested and improved vitamins to be optimal levels, you won't know if you need T3 (Liothyronine)

If you have high thyroid antibodies then strictly gluten free diet often helps or is essential

Getting coeliac blood test first

Always stick to same brand of Levothyroxine too

[shaws Administrator]

Unexplained weight gain is the commonest question on this forum. It can be due to not being on an optimum dose of levothyroxine or other thyroid hormones as doctors seem to think that if the TSH is anywhere in the range (up to 5) that we're on sufficient when the TSH is recommended to be 1 or lower. Some doctors also seem to believe that if TSH is 1 or lower that we've become hyper-thyroid and may reduce dose. That's not the case but they adjust our doses willy/nilly according to the TSH result and rarely test Free T4 and Free T3.

stopthethyroidmadness.com/s...

Doctors also seem to think that patients who gain weight are eating too much instead of understanding that our metabolism is so slow (low) due to being hypothyroid. They are supposed to give us sufficient levo so that our metabolism is raised until we feel well with relief of symptoms.

All blood tests have to be at the very earliest, fasting (you can drink water) and allow a gap of 24 hours between the last dose of levo and the test and take afterwards. Levo is usually taken first thing with one full glass of water and wait an hour before eating.

Hypothyroidism is a very serious condition if we don't take replacement hormones, that's why - once diagnosed (in UK) - we don't pay for any more prescriptions for any other diseases/problems.

[Angel_of_the_North]

It's non-optimally treated hypothyroidism that makes you put on weight, not the replacement hormones. If you post your blood test results for Free t4, Free T3, TSH, TPO and TG antibodies, plus folate, b12, ferritin and vit D, people will be able to help you. If you do not take your replacement hormones you can make yourself very ill with an increased risk heart disease and dementia - you can even end up in a coma.